Fish lure



Feb. 28, 1939. E G JONES 2,149,054

FISH LURE Filed March 2l, 1938 ,Z dT VQT'CZ 6 JIOMQSINVENTOR ATTORNEYSPatented Feb. 28, 1939. 1

UNITED STATES- PATENJT OFFICE} 3 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to fish lures, and its general object is toprovide an artificial lure or bait for fish and the like that hassubstantially all the-characteristics of a live or naturalminnow or fishgenerally used for bait, in that my lure not only simulates a naturalminnow in shape, color and appearance, but possesses the naturalyieldable qualities thereof, duev to the fact that ii: is madeessentiallyof soft rubber or the like,

as distinguished from the conventional artificial minnow which is madefrom hard material such as wood or the like.

A further object is to provide an artificial fish lure that is weighted,but includes an air cham- -l5 ber therein with means for introducing airand releasing the same, to vary the contents of the chamber, so that thelure can be used at various depths within the water, as will beapparent.

Another object is to provide an artificial fish lure, in which the hooksthereof are materially protected or guarded against being caught-inweeds, grass, obstructions or the like.

A still further object is to provide an artificial fish lure, that issimple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremelyefiicient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features ofconstructionand in the-combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be here-3 inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the fish lure or bait, that forms thesubject matter of the present invention. I

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the centerthereof and illustrates parts in elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my artificialfish lure and bait includes a body which is preferably made from a pairof like sections l and 2 having fiat confronting faces, and each sectionis otherwise shaped so that when they are secured together by adhesivematerial or the like, the body is in the form of a minnow, as clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 2.

Each section is made from soft rubber or other suitable flexible orresilient material, so that when they are secured together thebodyincludes a 5 head 3, a tail 4 and fins 5. However, the fins, as well asthe tail are preferably very thin, so that they will be acted upon bythe water when drawing the bait therethrough, to cause a waving movementthereof, to give a life like appearance, in as will be apparent.

The body is painted or otherwise colored to simulate a minnow or thelike, and an eye 6 is painted or otherwise applied on each side of thehead.

Each section is provided with an elongated l5 cavity in the flatconfronting faces thereof, for registration with each other, to receivea hollow member I that provides an air chamber, and which is preferablyarranged longitudinally of the upper portion of the body, as best shownin 20 Figures 2 and 4.

The valve means for introducing and releasing air with respect to theair chamber includes a substantially oval shaped hollow member 8 Imounted in the upper portions of the sections 25 adjacent the forwardend of the body and the member 8 is provided with a substantiallydomesha'ped upper wall portion 9 having an opening l0 therein, while thelower curved wall portion likewise has an opening that registers with anopening in the hollow member I. Slidably mounted in the opening of thelower wall portion of the member 8, and the opening of the hollow memberI is a flanged sleeve II that extends into the hollow member 8 and has aplurality of 35 apertures I2 therein, and surrounding the sleeve II is acoil spring l3 for urging an elastic valve member against the upper wallportion 9, to close the opening In thereof.

It will be obvious that when it is desired to in- 40 troduce air withinthe chamber of the member I, the valve member is blown from its seat, toallow for the passage of air about the same, for passage through themember 8 into the member I, the air being passed through the aperturesi2, 45 and when it is desired to relieve the air pressure within the airchamber of the member I, the valve member is merely pushed from its seatby inserting a tool or the like through the opening l0. 50

The confronting faces of the sections l and 2 are grooved to receive thehook means of my lure, and the hook means includes a relatively long rodportion II that extends longitudinally of the body and through the head,the extending poru tion being indicated by the -reference numeral l8 andterminates in an eye I'I to receive tackle means, as will be apparent.Formed on or otherwise secured to the rod l5 such as by eyes, as shown,are the shanks I8 of hooks l9, and the hooks which are of the usualbarbed type extend through the body with their penetrating ends in closeproximity thereto, there being six hooks in the form as shown that arearranged adjacent to the projecting parts of the lure that is the fins,tail and member 8, so as to be materially protected or guarded againstbeing caught in weeds, grass or the like.

The lure is weighted and for that purpose, the sections are eachprovided with openings in the confronting faces thereof and within whichare fixed lead weights 20, disposed in row formation, as shown in Figure2.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of'the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An artificial lure in the form of a minnow, and comprising a pair offiexible like shaped sections having flat confronting faces securedtogether to provide a body including a head, a tail and fins, shankedhooks embedded in the body and extending therefrom, eyed means extendingfrom the head and having the shanks of the hooks secured thereto, eachsection having a member mounted in the cavity and providing an airchamber, valve means for controlling the passage of air to and from thechamber, and weights embedded within saidabody.

2. An artificial lure in the form of a minnow, and comprising a weightedflexible body including a head, a tail and fins, shanked hooks embeddedin the body and extending therethrough, means having the shanks of thehooks fixed thereto and extending longitudinally of the body and throughthe head with an eye on the outer end thereof, a hollow member mountedwithin the body and providing an air chamber, air receiving meanscommunicating with the air chamber and having an opening therein to theatmosphere, and spring pressed valve means controlling the opening.

3. An artificial lure in the form of a minnow, and comprising a weightedflexible body includ ing a head, a tail and fins, shanked hooks em--bedded in the body and extending therethrough for disposal adjacent thehead, tail and fins, means having the shanks of the hooks fixed theretoand extendinglongitudinally of the body and through the head with an eyeon the outer end thereof, a hollow member providing an air chamber andmounted within the body, valve means for controlling the passage of airto and from the air chamber and including a hollow member communicatingwith the chamber and having an opening therein to the atmosphere, aspring pressed sleeve mounted for slidable movement in the second hollowmember and havingopenings therein communicating with the chamber, and anelastic valve member carried bythe sleeve for controlling the opening.

EDWARD G. JONES.

